First ‘grow-op on wheels’ in Alberta discovered

EDMONTON — Move over Walter White. A converted semi-trailer containing more than 150 marijuana plants was found in Edmonton.

Alberta Law Enforcement Teams (ALERT) say it is believed to be the first case of its kind in the province.

The plants were seized from the semi-trailer parked inside a west Edmonton warehouse. The trailer was outfitted with electrical lighting, ventilation, a carbon dioxide generator and a self-watering system.

Each individual plant is capable of yielding between 4-10 ounces of marijuana in a four-month cycle, ALERT says. A total of 559 marijuana plants, worth an estimated $670,000, were removed.

Black mould was seen throughout the trailer and water run-off, containing fertilizers and chemicals, was being drained into the warehouse. Remediation costs for the warehouse are expected to exceed $20,000.

Jan Michael Dumas, 37, is wanted on charges of production of marihuana, possession for the purpose of trafficking, and criminal mischief.